The permanent revolution: New Labour, new public management and the modernisation of criminal justice

McLaughlin, Eugene, Muncie, John and Hughes, Gordon (2001) The permanent revolution: New Labour, new public management and the modernisation of criminal justice. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 3 (3), 301-318. (doi:10.1177/1466802501001003003).

Abstract

The soundbite 'tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime' was crucial to both the ideological rebirth of the Labour Party as 'New Labour' and its landslide victory in the 1997 General Election. Indeed, one of New Labour's most remarkable political achievements, during its first term of office, was to have forged a 'Third Way' law and order position that has successfully challenged the idea that social democratic political parties are by definition 'soft on crime'. This article outlines and evaluates the key strategies underpinning New Labour's core governmental project of 'modernization through managerialization' in criminal justice. Throughout, a focus on crime reduction and youth justice is maintained, since addressing these 'wicked issues' is pivotal to realizing New Labour's long-term objective of commanding the centre ground of law and order politics in the UK. We argue that an institutionalization and normalization of managerialism is taking place to 'resolve' the contradictions, tensions and disconnections generated by the Conservatives' incomplete public sector reform project and to create the basis for achieving the long-held ideal of a cost-effective, efficient, 'seamless' criminal justice system. In the conclusion we discuss the implications of the open-ended relationship between the unrelenting managerialization of criminal justice and the on-going politicization of law and order associated with New Labour's electoral promise to be 'tough on crime'

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